Ranma s note
by leandro-sensei
Summary: When a Ranma-English dictionary comes out from nowhere, the great martial artist ask Nabiki for help, desperate. Now, the median of the Tendo s sisters must unravel the mystery, before Akane learns that, for example, "You cook awfully, tomboy!" really means, "I hope that someday I will have the courage to tell you how much I love you".
1. Chapter 1

-Nabiki, Nabiki, wake up, please.

The girl was surprised by a male voice in a more than strange situation. There was, according to his calculations, more than three o´clock in the morning. Too late to get a scolding for some scam done on the previous day, too early to be bothered with the day's work ahead. Eventually, Nabiki opened one eye.

-You got the wrong room, little brother-in-law. If you want to surprise a Tendo in topless and vulnerable, you should head to...

-What...? What did you say...? -Ranma stammered-. If you are perfectly dressed.

-That can be arranged, if you want…-said Nabiki, making the move to get off her nightgown-. It'll cost...

-Nabiki!

-Okay! Okay! What do you want?

Ranma looked up and down with a really worried face and then whispered:

-I have a problem. You will realize about it tomorrow. I know thay you will find out its existence, anyway. And, I know perfectly well too that you will not stop until you get it and use it to blackmail me. Therefore, I came before it happens, to minimize the damage. And to tell you that you win. I will… I will give you anything in return if you destroy it... especially Akane must not know anything.

-Did I win? -Nabiki thought- So easily? Without even knowing what it is? What the hell is going on? How bad a businessman is Ranma?

The young man took a few steps to the door.

-Do you agree…?

-We'll see. Now let me rest.

Nabiki fell asleep wrapped in these and other questions and coming to the conclusion that something very special was happening. Something that forced Ranma to surrender rather than fight, that is, something that threatened his most sensitive area: his privacy.

The next day, the median Tendo sister woke up earlier than usual, climbed down the stairs that led to the front door in a flash and headed for the dining room.

_Perfect! _-She thought-_ Akane just started training at the Dojo and Kasumi went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. It's my chance to question him alone_.

With that plan in mind, Nabiki finally entered the dining room, where was waiting for her a grotesque scene.

-Sooner or later you will have to talk, son.

Genma sat next to Sown. Both outlined an expression of satisfaction. The way of splitting the corner of his mouth and the way of arching the eyebrows, left no room for doubts: it was a triumphant gesture, an arrogant one, a gesture that could only be born of the overall security of having cornered his prey.

_For now, I will observe_ -Nabiki thought-. _This will be easy_.

Genma lowered his right arm that was holding a thin and black notebook. And his son, the brave and combative Ranma, never took his eyes of it and was afraid to attack him.

-You know that silence gives consent, son? Will you marry the daughter of my friend or not?

-With that brute girl that hits me every day? Never.

Ranma spoke these words at high-speed and uncontrollably. Then, tried to put their hands over his mouth but it was too late. The notebook opened magically in a particular page and Genma started reading.

-Yes, We will get married soon. Please, force us. I´m too shy to do it alone.

-You see, son? It´s not that hard to tell the truth. You love her.

Ranma moved closer. Neither the look revealed the usual defiance, or the movements, resembled a crouching animal ready to pounce on its enemies.

-Akane will not believe it.

Genma turned two pages and reread:

-Akane believes everything. One of his best qualities is naivety.

Only then, Nabiki put her hand on Ranma's shoulder.

-Quiet, little brother-in-law. I'll take care of it, -she said and turned to Soun-. Father, could you please lend me that? Or do you want me to tell Kasumi what happened on September 13th last year?

Sown looked down.

-You are not that cruel!

-SISTER!

The face of Kasumi appeared from inside the kitchen.

-Quiet, Nabiki, breakfast will be ready in a moment.

Sown´s hairs went a little up. Not too much but enough to let Nabiki guess that his father was no longer an obstacle.

-Now you, Genma, I have only two words for you: "August 18th."

Half an hour later, Nabiki was holding the book in her arms while Ranma mumbled:

-Thank you. Really.

-Great! You talked. This is going to be fun. Lets see. Page 23: "This is going to cost me more money than ever". Well, yes. You nailed it, little brother-in-law.

End of Chapter 1

This is a translation of my fanfic: "Misterios en Nerima". Since my original language is spanish, I assume tha I made a lot of mistakes. If you see that there are too many or that it make it difficult to read, please let me know, and I will stop with the translation. Thank you.


	2. Chapter 2

While all this was going on in the dining room of the Tendo´s home, Akane was training at the gym. A little voice, lighter than a whisper, a strong memory, was nailing her brains: "Do not marry anyone... do not get married ever".  
The girl responded each word, punching the wall with her fists full of pain and frustration.  
-What happened, Akane? Why are you hitting this with such a fury? Did Ranma said you something inappropriate?  
Akane accommodated her kimono, trying to hide a bit what she was doing but Kasumi stood beside her with tender eyes.  
-Did you remember her again?  
The girl lowered his head, a sure sign that was remembering a painful thought, a gesture much more eloquent and sincere than a "yes" shouted from the rooftops.  
-Do you understand it, sister? Mother's last words?  
-You know it was not her. He had lost the north by the disease. I´m sure about it. If you wish to marry Ranma, that should not be an obstacle. You could at least explain to him what is going on inside you. Your fiancé should know at least what prevents you to open up your feelings.  
-I´m not sure, Kasumi. To me, she seemed quite lucid: "Never forget how to cook from the heart", "Tricks in the end always turns against you" ... To me it seems more than appropriate and deep phrases for both of you ... but mine ...  
And she said no more. The face full of tears and a so contorted expression that Kasumi could not help but embrace her with all her might. It was not much, really, but enough to make her feel, that even as sister, she could occasionally take the role of the missing mother.  
Around them, there was nothing but silence, rare occurrence in the Tendo Dojo but understandable given the new situation. Ranma had self-imposed a vow of silence in a childish attitude -given what she had to endure-, but quite logical since he knew nothing of the secret.  
Kasumi, meanwhile, continued his role of silent and eternal witness of each family conflicts. Certainly, no one could imagine, then, that she also kept their problems and that in perspective, she carried the heaviest pack of all: to bear it with a smile. And all would have gone like this forever, between a visible comedy and an undergroud tragedy. But, suddenly and unexpectedly, one of the dance steps of the comedy accidentally stumbled a little door of the tragedy and some of the family pain came to light. It started on the side least expected: on the mouth of Ranma.

-Look, Ranma. It´s on autopilot, now.  
-Whatever. What I want to know is where we are going. I thought I would be manipulated at home ... well, I'm not complaining. Since we are far away from Akane´s training spot...  
_-Beeep: Akane is also my best friend. She surely, would help me better..._  
Nabiki did not need the book to read all the secrets of his pre-brother-in-law, tattooed on his face. Ranma was a typical boy: sincere and reserved. Easy to interpret. Without intricacies nor twisted ideas. Linear and concrete as any man. Shy, unbearably shy, but without malice or double meanings. Of course if she was Akane had already gotten a confession of love at the first hurdle. _Poor little sister_, -she thought- _she still knows nothing about people and their inner world. Less than cooking, indeed.  
-_Ok, Ranma, if that's what you really think ... if Akane can help you better than me ... we will tell her everything now.  
Ranma took his arms to the neck and tried to hide his feelings of uneasiness. Vain gesture that could not hide the shaking in the knees or the incipient pallor that was taking over his cheeks.  
-You're lucky, Ranma. Here we are. Sato's study, the great detective. He will tell us where did this device came from and how to use it properly.  
-Properly? What do you mean, Nabiki?  
-Perhaps you have not noticed earlier but the book is full of buttons and levers. As if it were a small tablet. Maybe it can be configured to do other things. Why do I want a junk revealing your secrets...? If I already know them all! What I really, want is to be able to use it without restrictions, with whoever I choose.  
Ranma scratched his head. He was a bit egocentric to accept that Nabiki's response was sincere. So he was looking at the facade of the study of Sato trying to find the trick.  
-Are you sure that here works a detective as good as you say?  
-_Beeep. I would love to live with Akane in a house like this. We will have three children. Ranma Jr…,  
_Nabiki closed the book while wearing a finger to his mouth.  
-Shhht. You had better shut up. You are embarrassing even me.  
-It´s your fault.  
_-Beep, Akane is so beautifu…_  
-Sht. I'll ring the bell.  
-Sorry.  
_-Beeep. You should break down the door with a sledgehammer. That is how every girl should enter in a new place..._  
Nabiki sighed..  
-Okay, you win. I hate seeing you as red as a tomato falling into a salad. Look. This button is to turn off the gadget. Will you stay quiet now, playing in a corner and let me talk to the man? Mommy will not take long.  
Ranma thought: "You don´t need to get yourself into that ironic plan" but remain silent. He had to do something more important: to explain one mysterious thing, that strange feeling of happiness that sprang from his stomach and reached to the tip of his nose. A sort of jumbled vapored joy that warmed all his body as it went up from his larynx. Was it possible that the book made him feel like that? Hearing those words -the word he thought-, although it was not strictly his speaking, would serve him to purify his soul?

Very close to the Sato study, in the Tendo Dojo, Kasumi was trying to comb Akane´s hairs.  
-Let me do it, please. I know you do not like this things but I help me to calm down. I also remember her, you know? Even more than you. In fact, I'm the oldest. The one who spent the most time with her.  
Akane sat on a chair and nodded. She was not crying anymore. From a small pocket of her apron, Kasumi took a comb and began the work.  
-Do not worry, Akane -whispered in her ear-. No one will see us.  
-How do you take it so well, sister?  
Kasumi soften her face again. They had not talked about her in years. Nor performed a purely female act like combing each other.  
-Thank God -thought Kasumi- the Tendo-Saotome war have taken a day of truce to let us talk.  
-Do you know what is catharsis, Akane?  
-Yes, I learned in the drama class in high school. It is when viewers purify their own traumas seeing the characters experience them. It's a way to letting the ghosts that live within us, leave.  
-That's right, sis. You should try it, occasionally. If you keep all your pain for you, in the end it will destroy you from within. Promise me you will talk to him. Do it for me. If I see you two together and finally agreeing, I think my shadows also will be filled with light. Try to be radiant for once.  
Akane looked in the mirror. The surface reflection that stared back was shocking. Beautiful, solemn, adult. She was not a girl anymore.  
-Come on, Kasumi. I want to meet the new detective who's on TV. If it's as good as they say, maybe he could help me interpret the ultimate meaning of the words of mother.  
-A detective? Are you sure? Would not it be more productive to go to a psychoanalyst?  
-Detectives, psychoanalysts. They are all the same. Looking for clues and finding things that we cannot see. I would rather entrust it to someone famous. Someone who can, as he is on the subject, find out about the prophecy...  
-Ahhh, again with that? I get it. Well, if it cannot be remedied, let´s go. But be warned: he must be very good to solve the mystery of mother´s gift. I do not know what was she thinking when she gifted a sledgehammer to a three-years old girl nor what the prophecy meant, but you have to accept the possibility that it was just her sick head doing...  
Akane jumped up with a big smile on his face.  
-Come on. Now, I'm in the mood to try to find out.

In Sato´s study, Nabiki and the detective left the booklet on a large table full of utensils. Flasks, test tubes, beakers, scalpels, acids, microscopes and many more tools.  
Ritsuko, the secretary, took the boy to the kitchen.  
-You better not bother them. When these two get together, their mood transformed. Above all, the boss, does not stop giving orders. By the way, I do not know if I have said it before but you're pretty cute.  
-Well...  
_-Beeep, I have five official promised: Kasumi, Nabiki, Akane, Shampoo and Ukyo. And a wild crazy witch chasing after me. If I have to hide from another one, my head will explode, I swear._  
Nabiki´s face appeared from the little room next door.  
-Stop it, Ranma! Shut up. No one could work like this. And you -pointed at Ritsuko-, stay away from him. You're wasting your time. He only lives and breathes for my sister!  
-Really? I don´t think so. I´m sure that he almost blushed when he saw me.  
-So, do not you believe me? Ok, Come here, both of you. I will show you something very interesting.  
Ritsuko joined Sato in the laboratory grabbing Ranma´s arm -well, what was left of Ranma, because he seemed a ghost full of shame.  
-Look, lovebirds. This is the volume knob. If we turn it up, we can hear exactly what he's thinking without speaking.  
_-Beeeeep. Akane... Akane... Akane... Akane... Akane..._  
Ritsuko dropped his arm away.  
-My god! You're obsessed, boy. I don´t like the obsessives ones. Goodbye.  
_-Beep. If you knew how beautiful she is, you'd understand.  
_By now Ranma was curled up on the ground and resting his back against the wall under a table. Bobbing his hair with his owns thumbs and trying to cover his ears with the palms.  
-Stop it, please.  
_-Beep, stop that please._  
Nabiki and Sato looked at him with compassion. The boy was, obviously, suffering more than he could bear.  
-Young man, you want to get rid of this curse, right? You only has two paths. To mature until your words and thoughts always match up or...  
Ranma looked up.  
_-Beep. Or ...?_  
-Or fill the machine to cause a reset by information overload. Now repeat after me: "I have no secrets."  
-I have no secrets.  
-Beep. Secret number one. I love Akane. Secret number two, every day, when I´m ready to finally confess, I see her even more beautiful than before, and I just can´t say a single galant word. Secret number three...  
-How about if we go to have a coffee, Ms. Nabiki and speak about the other case in more detail? I think this will take long.  
And so, Sato and Nabiki left Ranma alone in his catharsis room.

The ill fate, destiny, misalignment of stars or all at once, made Akane and Kasumi to arrive at the studio half an hour later and when Nabiki and Sato had not yet returned.  
Ritsuko attended them as usual, i.e. politely until she heard Akane presenting herself by her name.  
-Hmpf. So you're ´that´ woman? Well, I think that comatose wreck in the lab is yours -said Ritsuko to them. I leave you alone. I have to do some shopping.  
Akane had no time to really understand what was happening or why the secretary was using such an aggressive vocabulary because the sound of a machine running at full steam reached her ears.  
_-Beeep. Secret two hundred thirty-two. Akane is even more beautiful with short hair. Secret two hundred thirty-three. Kimiko Tendo is alive. Today I have seen her again._  
-What is this, Kasumi? -cried Akane- Why have I heard the name of mother? What were you hiding to me all these years?

End of chapter two.


	3. Chapter 3

In this world there are two kinds of silences. The relaxed one, typical of those who have said over and over again everything they had to say -the old man who prepares the tea before being asked for, or the fiancee kissing his bride just before she releases a pout-. And, then, there are the others ones: the anguished and choked silences. Pauses in speech filled with high voltage. The calm before the storm. This kind of silence caught Akane. Her question: "Why have I heard the name of mother?" demanded a straight answer. The only thing to do, then, was to choose the right opponent: the sweet Kasumi, the mother-sister who always protected her…or her insensitive fiance? Of course, the most hurting thing to her was that even Ranma knew more about her mother´s situation than herself. Only then, Akane realized the ultimate meaning of the recommendations of Kasumi: "talk to him". It was not to confess her trauma, but to unlock the vicious circle of secrets.

-Beep. Secret two hundred thirty-four. When nobody sees, I secretly read _Kimagure Orange Road_.

Akane entered the lab, enraged.

-What in hell is this secrets thing about, Ranma?

'It's a machine founded by my father...

-Beep. Please go away.

-Well, I see that my presence upsets you. I should leave you alone with your secrets.

-O... okay.

-Beeep. Secret two hundred thirty-five. I actually never lose consciousness when activating the Neko-ken. I just take this opportunity to get closer to Akane. Secret two hundred thirty-six. When it rains, I try that Akane´s hair gets wet. It smells so nice when it is wet! Secret two hundred thirty-seven. Akane is a little fat, but I like it. There's more where to grab...

Akane heard the three secrets, standing near the door. Her face totally expressionless, her arms slightly bent and with an awkward silence. If the girl had fallen silent as a mummy, the boy only moved left to right trying to hide himself under a table waiting for the Earth to swallow him.

-You mean…I'm fat?

-No ... no ... ngg ... pst ... dblah ...

-Beep Interesting! You heard clearly two compliments and a half but you only had recorded the little aggression. Maybe this is always the case. You do understand my silences and gestures of love but it looks like you're not prepared to respond.

-I´m faaaat?

-...

-Beep. Shy as myself but so beautiful…Rather than blind to love, terrified by it. Unable to confess or accept a true confession...

Ranma stood up.

-Is that true, Akane? What says the machine ... I ... well, my subconscious...

And the infernal machine would finally have repeated exactly what the boy had said if Akane hadn´t destroyed the book with her mallet and made the boy to fly to the sky through a brick wall.

- I´m fat?! How could he be so inconsiderate?!

(Author's note 1: calm down, the Ranma-note will reappear soon)

(Author's note 2: Kimagure Orange Road is a shonen romantic comedy - "Johnny and his friends" in Spain, whose protagonist personality bears some similarities with Ranma)

Just as there are only two kinds of silences in this world, there are only two ways of interruptions. Rumiko surely loves the first one, whose sole purpose is to dilate the outcomes. Kasumi chose the second one, which often serve to get back on track when we have strayed. Perhaps it wasn´t the best time to reveal unpleasant secrets to her sister, given how upset she was, but Kasumi did not think twice and entered in the laboratory of Sato.

Akane turned to her with fiercely eyes.

-I´m not in the mood for combs.

-I know, -Kasumi said while approaching her with a smile-. But we need to talk. If you cannot put your soul in "princess" mode, maybe I should put mine in "battle" mode.

-Stop saying nonsenses, sister. You will get hurt. I'm not good at cooking and you can´t fight. The world is like this and will be forever like this. There are littles princess and warriors. They shouldn´t be mixed up.

Kasumi faced Akane.

-It is a common exercise as I have understood. Do not try to hit me, just touch me. That if you can! And, do not tell me you have no motivation to attack. I lied for years about what you most care about: about our mother.

Akane looked at Kasumi, bewildered. In the past she had dreamt about giving their due to Nabiki. But to Kasumi? Her helpless and kind sister? Undoubtedly, she was having a morning full of surprises. But this surpassed all of them.

-Ok... okay. I'll give you a pat on the face. So soft and so fast that -even knowing that is coming- you will not be able to stop me.

Kasumi put her fists in a strange pose, over the ovaries, and closed his eyes.

-Beware. Mother taught me this technique before she left. Only this one, but I know it better than anyone. I didn´t like it. But what right had I to refuse to learn something for her, knowing it was the last time we would spend together? You see, I also inherited some trauma from mother. Or do you think it seemed right to her that the eldest daughter of a dojo behaved like a "silly housewife"?

Akane looked back at Kasumi with less confusion on her face. It was true. Strictly speaking the truth, in the absence of a male child, she was the heiress. She had to maintain the traditions and learn the secrets of fighting. And then, she attempted a soft attack, more out of pity than real hatred for her sister.

-Incredible! I swear I pointed at your face. How is it that I punched your hand? If you haven´t moved at all!

-This is the mutate-ken. The most important defensive technique of the Tendo´s. Mother made me promise that if it came to that, I would protect you with it.

I do not understand! Why didn´t she teach it to me?

-It is difficult. You just need to relax to the fullest. Neither you nor Nabiki was mature enough at the time.

Akane sat next to his sister and took her hand.

-Did you hurt yourself?

Kasumi shook her head.

-Have you ever wondered, Akane, why dad never fights? Why do not you know anything about his techniques? Why didn´t he teach us anything? No matter how ridiculous the powers of Genma are, nobody doubts his strength. He's clearly a Master. But ... Dad?

-I often wonder about it. I guess he is expecting me to improve.

-No. He simply do not fight because he does not know how to. The head of the Tendo Dojo has always been and will be, mother_._

_What a day!_ -though Akane-, _Kasumi knows a fighting technique, seems that our mother is not dead, Dad cannot fight and Ranma thinks I'm fat._

- Why did you lie to me? Why did you tell me she was dead?

-I ... I did not mean to. Actually mother never got sick. In fact she was hurt after a bloody battle. And I never told you she died. The words my lips really spoke were "She left us". You've misunderstood them and Nabiki took the occasion to trick you. Just to lower your suffering.

- "She left"... somewhere else?!

-Remember the prophecy?

-No, I was too young.

-Your mallet is an enchanted object. It allows you to reach a parallel world, the realm of "Those Who Know". There is an army of a thousand enemies protecting a unique treasure. I'm not sure what it is, but I can tell you one thing. Mother is obsessed with it. She will not return until she succeeds.

Akane murmured:

-So is not dead. She just abandoned us!

-Yes. I tried a lot of times but I could never tell you the truth. If I were to choose, I'd rather hear your version of the story than the truth.

In the eyes of both sisters endless tears flowed.

-Why Ranma knows about it?

-It's because of the prophecy. Please, read the message on the handle of your mallet: "The only treasure door will open when a flying being without wings comes, when a man with a female ovaries or breasts comes, driven by a furious blow with love." When mother left, we judge that would be impossible.

- God! Now he is with her! I've sent him!

-Yes. Have not you ever noticed that no matter where we are or where you hit, he flies always in the same direction and disappears in exactly the same spot in the sky? I'm sure that he does not make you enrage for badness. He does it to make you send him there, -she pointed the exact spot on the horizon-, with mother. To help her beat the thousand enemies and bring her back. Do you get it now? The poor guy could not say anything.

Akane put her hands over her eyes.

- Oh my God! My God! I am the insensitive one!

End of chapter 3.


End file.
